2026 School Calendar for Public Schools in South Africa
The official school calendar for 2026 was published by the Department of Basic Education on 25 February 2025. It outlines four terms with specific start and end dates, accounting for public holidays and school days. Note that the first day of Term 1 is staggered: Grade R opens on 12 January, while Grades 1–12 start on 14 January. Similarly, the last day of Term 4 is 9 December for Grade R and 11 December for others.
Table of Contents
Key Term Dates and School Days
| Term | Duration | Number of Weeks | Total Days | Public Holidays | Actual School Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 14 January – 27 March (Grade R: 12 Jan start) | 11 | 53 (55) | 0 | 53 (55) |
| Term 2 | 8 April – 26 June | 12 | 58 | 3 + 1 special holiday | 54 |
| Term 3 | 21 July – 23 September | 10 | 47 | 1 | 46 |
| Term 4 | 6 October – 11 December (Grade R: 9 Dec end) | 10 | 47 (49) | 0 | 47 (49) |
Public Holidays and Special School Holidays in 2026
These affect school attendance across terms:
- 1 January: New Year’s Day (before Term 1)
- 21 March: Human Rights Day (falls during Term 1 weekend; no impact)
- 3 April: Good Friday (Term 2)
- 6 April: Family Day (Easter Monday; Term 2)
- 27 April: Freedom Day (Term 2)
- 1 May: Workers’ Day (Term 2)
- 15 June: Special school holiday (Term 2)
- 16 June: Youth Day (Term 2)
- 10 August: National Women’s Day (observed; Term 3; original date 9 Aug is a Sunday)
- 24 September: Heritage Day (falls during Term 3 weekend; no impact)
- 16 December: Day of Reconciliation (after Term 4)
- 25–26 December: Christmas and Day of Goodwill (after Term 4)
For the full official document, refer to the Government Gazette PDF: 2026 Calendar for Public Schools. Private schools may follow slightly different calendars aligned with associations like ISASA.